4410 Bridgewater Dr

Phenix City, AL 36867

$229,000D+

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,578 sqft · Built 1974 · SingleFamily · Active · 17 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,889/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,201
• Tax + insurance: −$183
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$397
• Net cashflow: $109/mo
• Annual: $1,309/yr
• Cap rate: 6.86%
• Cash-on-cash: 2.04%
• DSCR: 1.09
• 1% rule: 0.83%
• Cash to close: $64,120

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $229k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $109 ($1k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $189k (17.5% below list).
• It's been on market 17 days — a 2% lower offer ($226k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $189k (17.5% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $7k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 60/100 on livability (#297 in AL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: crime F, amenities F, commute F.
• Phenix City (suburban): math 22% / reading 44% proficiency, ranked #59 of 129 in AL (top 46%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 64% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Sherwood Elementary School (math 36% / reading 59%, grade D, #140 of 627 statewide, top 22%, 521 students, 80% FRL); Phenix City Intermediate School (math 18% / reading 41%, grade F, #129 of 257 statewide, top 52%, 1,044 students, 80% FRL); Central High School (math 26% / reading 21%, grade F, #139 of 305 statewide, top 45%, 1,495 students, 74% FRL).
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+5.3%/yr); 217 active listings in the ZIP; 4 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 23d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 183 units permitted in Russell County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Russell County population projected at +42% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• Current owner paid $108k; list at $229k implies a 113% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• Climate carrying-cost: severe wind risk, 80% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→19/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 6.9% vs local median 5.1% in Phenix City — top-decile yield for the area; either an underpriced asset or a hidden risk that comps aren't pricing in. Stress-test before assuming the spread holds.
• At $1,889/mo this rent would consume 47% of the median local household income ($48k/yr) (locally 1399% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• Built in 1974 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• Schools are D-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
• Crime grade is F in this area — have there been break-ins, vandalism, or insurance claims at this property in the last 3 years? What carrier currently insures it and at what premium?
• The area grade is low — what's the realistic commute time and amenity access for the typical tenant pool here? Any planned neighborhood developments (good or bad) we should know about?
• What's the average days-on-market for RENTAL listings here right now (not sales)? A rising rental-DOM trend means longer vacancies and softer asking-rent achievability than the comps imply.
• What's the recent tenant-quality profile in this submarket — average credit score on applications, eviction rate, late-payment / NSF rate, and stable-employment percentage? A property-management company in the area should have these aggregated.
• How much new for-sale + rental construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply typically softens prices + rents 12–24 months out; constrained supply supports both.